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"Republicans Push Bill To Force Keystone XL Approval"

"Republican lawmakers on Tuesday worked on two fronts to advance legislation that would force approval of the Keystone XL pipeline."

"An Energy and Commerce subcommittee voted 17-9 to approve the bill, queuing it up for the full panel’s approval Wednesday morning and a debate on the House floor later this month.

Meanwhile, the House Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on the legislation with witnesses representing the National Association of Manufacturers, the refining industry and an environmental group.

The bill would guarantee approval of the Keystone XL pipeline by deeming previous environmental reviews of the project sufficient — even without a final determination from President Barack Obama — and effectively authorizing other necessary permits. The legislation also would expedite judicial review of the pipeline, in anticipation of legal challenges."